Adriatic LNG terminal

The Adriatic LNG terminal is a liquid natural gas offshore terminal nine miles offshore near Rovigo, Italy in the northern Adriatic. It is the world's first offshore LNG terminal.cite news|url=http://www.ogj.com/display_article/340378/7/ONART/none/Trasp/1/Offshore-LNG-terminal-moved-to-Adriatic-off-Italy/|title=Offshore LNG terminal moved to Adriatic off Italy|publisher=Oil & Gas Journal|accessdate=2008-10-05] When the terminal becomes fully operational, it is expected to store and regasify 770 million cubic feet per day (8 billion cubic meters per year). The terminal will have the capacity to provide 10% of Italy’s natural gas needs. The terminal is operated by Qatar Terminal Limited, a subsidiary of Qatar Petroleum, ExxonMobil Italiana Gas, and Edison. The terminal is 47 meters high, 88 meters wide and 180 meters long.cite press release
url=http://www.edisongroup.eu/edison/site/en/pressroom/index.html?&uri=/shared/press/ir/n20settembre2008.html|title=Edison: First Offshore Regasification Plant In The World Lands To Italy|date=2008-9-20|publisher=Edison S.p.A.|accessdate=2008-10-06]

Construction

The terminal was built in Algeciras, Spain. Construction started in October 2003 and finished in August 2008. The LNG tanks were constructed in South Korea. The pipeline that connects to the terminal will be south of the Levante Po River mouth near Scanno Cavallari. [cite web|url=http://www.adriaticlng.com/pagine/pagina.aspx?ID=Technicalch001&L=EN|title=Technical features|publisher=Adriatic LNG|accessdate=2008-10-07]

Moving

After finishing building the terminal in Algeciras, it was then towed by four tugboats to its current location off the coast of Rovigo. The flotilla traveled the 1700 kilometers at an average speed of 4.4 knots (about 8 Km per hour). It took 16 days to reach the site. When it arrived, the terminal was weighted down by water to ensure it was permanently positioned on the seabed.

Operations

Operations are expected to start in the first quarter of 2009. When fully operational, the terminal will receive a LNG carrier every three days from Qatar. cite web|url=http://www.arup.com/spain/project.cfm?pageid=10153|title=Adriatic LNG Terminal Project|accessdate=2008-10-05] The gas will then be regasified and will be sent to the Italian gas network by a pipeline from the terminal to the coast.

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